Allianz Hurling League Division 1B – Wexford 3-18 Kerry 0-12

Wexford defeated Kerry by 3-18 to 0-12 in Round 3 of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B on Sunday March 5th in Innovate Wexford Park.

Guiney makes scoring return as Wexford maintain winning ways in 1B

Report by Brendan Furlong for RTE.ie

Wexford maintained their one hundred per cent record when an improved second half showing inspired them to a comfortable fifteen point victory over Kerry at Innovate Wexford Park.

Before an attendance of 2600 the Yellow Bellies made it three wins from three in Allianz Hurling League Division 1B. Perhaps the biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for Jack Guiney who marked his forty-seventh minute introduction with a goal and a point in his first competitive inter-county outing for two years.

While the striking aspect of the first half was the battling qualities display by Kerry, it will also be remembered for the four clear-cut goal opportunities missed by Wexford with David Redmond, Lee Chin and Harry Kehoe being the real culprits.

Kerry got the best possible start leading 0-04 to 0-03 after twelve minutes as Bryan Murphy, John Buckley and Padraig Boyle all found the target, with Lee Chin and a Conor McDonald free keeping the homeside in touch.

Wexford were winning lots of possession, spraying the ball around with purpose and accuracy, but their finishing was not going according to plan, despite further points from Chin, McDonald and Morris.

Kerry turned in a fine finish to the half with three unanswered points through Paudie O’Connor, two, and Jordan Conway, to go in level 0-07 each at the interval.

Wexford began the second half with a brace of points through McDonald and Chin, before misfortune struck for Kerry, on forty-one minutes, when Harry Kehoe intercepted a short clearance to punish with a goal.

One minute later Diarmuid O’Keeffe after his initial point attempt came back high off the upright followed up to find the net from a David Redmond pass, leaving his side leading 2-9 to 0-7.

Wexford having turned the game around in their favour were never going to relinquish their lead for the continued to dominate right through the pitch.

After Colum Harty had Kerry’s first second half point on forty-five minutes, Wexford went on to bully their opponents, picking off a string of unanswered points, as Lee Chin dominated up front.

Guiney marked his introduction with a trademark fifty-sixth minute goal, collecting a cross-field ball, before shaking off his marker to shoot low to the net. While Kerry tried hard it was Wexford who powered on to a comfortable victory.

Scorers for Wexford: Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Harry Kehoe, Jack Guiney 1-1 each; Conor McDonald 0-6 (5f), Lee Chin 0-4 (1f), Damien Reck, Matthew O’Hanlon, Paul Morris, Willie Devereux, Eanna Martin 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: Colum Harty, John Buckley, Paudie O’Connor 0-2 each; Bryan Murphy, Jack Goulding, Daniel Collins, Jordan Conway, Padraig Boyle (f), Brendan O’Leary 0-1 each.

Wexford: Mark Fanning; simon Donohoe, Liam Ryan, James Breen; Damien Reck, Matthew O’Hanlon, Diarmuid O’Keeffe; Shaun Murphy, Jack O’Connor; Aaron Maddock, David Redmond, Harry Kehoe; Conor McDonald, Lee Chin, Paul Morris. Subs: David Dunne for Redmond (46), Jack Guiney for Morris (47), Gary Moore for McDonald (59), Eanna martin for O’Keeffe (60), Willie Devereux for Breen (63).

Kerry: Martin Stackpoole; Keith Carmody, Rory Horgan, Sean Weir; James O’Connor, Bryan Murphy, Darren Dineen; Jack Goulding, Paudie O’Connor; Daniel Collins, Patrick Kelly, Colum Harty; Jordan Conway, Padraig Boyle, John Buckley. Subs: Tomas O’Connor for Goulding (61), Brendan O’Leary for Boyle (61), Jason Wallace for Buckley (65), Daniel O’Carroll for Conway (65), James Godley for Paudie O’Connor (66).

Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow).

GAA.ie previews the weekend's #AllianzLeagues Hurling Division 1B action including @OfficialWexGAA v @Kerry_Officialhttps://t.co/PrORErEEqs

— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 3, 2017